FBI reportedly launching task force to crack down on Tesla vandals

LOS ANGELES - The FBI has launched a specialized task force to investigate a series of coordinated attacks on Tesla vehicles, dealerships, and charging stations across the United States. The bureau is treating the violence—including arsons, Molotov cocktails, and vandalism—as acts of domestic terrorism, FOX News Digital has confirmed.

The task force includes agents from the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with support from the Justice Department. So far, 48 incidents have been reported in March alone, with at least seven active arson investigations underway.

Why the FBI says these Tesla attacks qualify as domestic terrorism

What we know:

Officials say the attacks appear ideologically motivated and are being coordinated both in person and online.

The FBI cited incidents involving firebombed vehicles, targeted shootings, and vandalism at Tesla dealerships and charging locations in cities including Seattle, Austin, Las Vegas, San Diego, and Kansas City.

According to FBI officials, some of the attacks were linked to anarchist messaging and anti-government rhetoric. A website registered earlier this month featured doxxed information about Tesla employees and a map of company infrastructure. The site reportedly included a Molotov cocktail cursor and encouraged sabotage.

A protest dubbed "Tesla Takedown" is scheduled for March 29, with organizers calling for demonstrations at all 277 Tesla showrooms and charging stations nationwide.

What we don't know:

While three suspects have been arrested in connection to firebombing incidents in Oregon and Colorado, no direct links have been confirmed between them and the online groups promoting the attacks.

FILE - General view of a Tesla Store on March 20, 2025 in Paramus, New Jersey. Violence against Tesla owners appear to be part of a broader surge of anti-Elon Musk sentiment.  (Photo by Kena Betancur/VIEWpress)

The FBI says it is reviewing surveillance footage and digital communications to identify additional suspects. The agency has created a threat tag to track related activity and established a command post at headquarters to coordinate field investigations.

How Tesla and federal officials are responding

What they're saying:

FBI Director Kash Patel and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi both called the violence "domestic terrorism," vowing to use the full force of federal law to bring the perpetrators to justice.

"As always, Director Patel and Deputy Director Bongino have been adamant about responsiveness to agents on the ground and providing them the resources they need to serve Americans," FBI spokesman Ben Williamson told Fox News Digital. "This Task Force is just the latest move in coordinating our efforts to ensure those who violently attack Tesla will be pursued and brought to justice." 

Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who now also serves as head of the Department of Government Efficiency, expressed disbelief during a recent appearance on Hannity, saying, "It’s really come as quite a shock to me that there is this level of real hatred and violence from the left."

What’s next for the investigation

What's next:

The FBI says its new task force is now operational and embedded in key field offices, starting in San Antonio, where several of the attacks began.

Officials are closely monitoring the March 29 "Tesla Takedown" protests and say further arrests are likely. Meanwhile, federal prosecutors have filed charges that could carry up to 20 years in prison for those convicted of terrorism-related offenses.